Brick stack carrier



June 1931. R. A. FONTAINE BRICK STACK CARRIER 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 16 j; Gwynne/1 June 23, 1931. R. A. FONTAINE 1,311,429

BRICK STACK CARRIER Filed June 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 23, 1931. R; A. FONTAINE 1,311,429

' BRICK STACK CARRIER Filed June 16, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT A. FONTAIN E, OF MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA BRICK STACK CARRIER Application filed June 16,

Theinvention relates to apparatus or devices for handling bricks in the form of a hack or stack.

The principal object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide a device by means of which a hack or stack of bricks may be lifted about from place to place or loaded into and out of cars, trucks, barges and the like in intact condition, or simply dumped, at the election of the operator. An important object of the invention is to provide a brick carrier of this type hav-' ing means whereby the load may be dumped in sections instead of all at once, thereby greatly reducing the shock to the vehicle into which the bricks are dumped and also reducing danger of breaking the bricks themselves. v i

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a carrier provided at its bottom with means adapted to be inserted beneath a hack or stack of bricks when *it is'desired to lift the same, i and withdrawn from beneath the stack when it has been deposited at the desired location, there being no necessity for the employment of any pallet for stacking purposes. I

A still more specific object of the invention is to provide a carrier having its bottom constructed of pivotally mounted arms or prongs equipped with securing means whereby they may be held positively in operative position or released one at a time to permit dumping of the load in sections or to facilitate withdrawal from beneath an intact stack.

A still further obj ect, is to provide a device of this character which may have a length equal'to the width of a freight car so as to facilitate rapid loading of bricks thereinto';

Anotherobject of the invention is to pro- 'vide a carrier equipped with suspension means so located as to bring the center of gravity at such a location that the stack will lie against the back of the carrier and be consequently held intact without providing the carrier with either sides or a front;

' An additional object is to provide a structure or device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture,

1928. Serial No. 285,912.

easy to use, positive in action, efficient and durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

To the attainmentof the foregoing and other objects and advantages, the invention preferably consists in the details of construction and'the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

' Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the device,

F igure2 is a side elevation thereof with the arms or prongs shown in normal position by full lines and in released position by dotted lines,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section on a larger scale taken on substantially the line 38 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a detail cross the line 44 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a front elevation showing a stack of bricks held within the device,

Figure 6 is a side elevation showing the bottom arm or prong members in normal position,

Figure 7 is a similar view showing the bottom arm or prong members as released preparatory to pulling the carrier away from a deposited stack,

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a portion of a kiln and overhead trackway illustrating the utility of the device, and

v Figure 9 is a view showing the method of dumping the load in sections into a truck.

Referring more particularly to the drawings I have shown the device as comprising a back 1 formed preferably of sheet steel of desired gauge and of whatever dimensions are desirable; In addition to the plate 2 section taken on this back includes any suitable number of vertically arranged bars 3 and horizontal bars 4 secured thereto. The exact configuration of these bars and their number may be varied within wide limits as this is considered to be a manufacturing detail. The suspension means is here shown as comprising an angular bar 5 secured to the upper horizontal bar 4 and additionally secured to the projecting upper ends of two of the vertical bars.% as shown bar 5 is ways,

shown as having mounted thereon rings or bail members 7 to which are connected the ends of cables, chains or the like indicated at 8 so that the carrier may be conveniently hoisted about by use of a crane, derrick or the like.

The carrier has no top and no sides or ends as clearly indicated and the bottom is formed of a plurality of arms or prongs 9 which are pivotally mounted and equipped with means for maintaining them normally in horizontal secured position for supporting a stack or hack of'bricks designated at 10. While it is true that these arm members or prongs ,might be mounted indifferent I. have illustrated the mounting as comprising plates 11 riveted or otherwise secured against the opposite sides of the bars 3, theseplates being held in proper spaced relation by a rivet or the like 12 passing through a spacing sleeve 13. The plates 11 extend downwardlybeyond the back 1 and the rear ends of the prongs or arms 9 are pivoted between the plates as shownat 14; so as tobe capable of swinging movement in a vertical directionf Associated with each arm orprong member 9 is a lever 15 of angular shape pivoted at 16 between the upper portions ofthe plates 11 and terminating in a handle 17. Located outwardly of the platesll are links 18 which are pivotally connected at 19 with the central portions of the levers-15and which are pivotally connected at'their lower ends, as shown at 20, with the arm or prong members 9. It will be observed that ordinarily the pivot point-s 20, 16 and 19 are out of alinement so that downward pressure or weight upon the arm or prong members 9 holds the levers 15 against the bars 3. To release the arm or prongmembers so that they may swing downwardly it is necessary to grasp the levers 15 and pull them outwardly or away from the carrier so that the line between the pivots 19 and 20 will be rearwardlyof the pivots 16.

In the use of the device, it is necessary that thestack 10 be supported upon bricks, blocks or strips of wood so as to provide space for the accommodation of the arm or prong members 9. In the is shown as supported upon bricks 21 spaced apart at regular intervals. The arm or rong members 9 are at such a distance. apart thatwhen they are engaged beneath the stack theywill be located beneath the jointsbetween the bricks in the lowermost row as clearly shown in Figure 5. Assuming that a stack hasbeen formed'as in F igure 5 and that it is resting upon the spaced bricks 21, when it is desired to transport the stack, the carrier is broughtinto a position near the stack and soimov'ed' that-the prong or arm members 9 will slide beneath the stack between the bricks 21, as shown in drawings the stack Figure 7 Of course at this time the levers 15 must be in released position. The back 1 of the carrier is then swung into a vertical position, subsequently to which the levers 15 are moved toward and against the back for holding the prong or arm members rigid. Whatever hoisting device is used is then set in operation and the stack held within the carrier may be lifted about freely from place to place. The location of the suspension means is such that the stack willlean back against the carrier as illustrated in Figure "6 and will remain, intact. The entire stack may thus veryv readily be loaded onto a barge, car or truck and ,be'handled as many times as necessary without disturbing the individual bricks. The carrier is disengaged from the stack in the reverse manner to that described above aswill be readily apparent. y

In case it is desired to dump the stack instead of depositing it in intact condition, as for example'when loading a motor truck, it is merely necessary that the operator grasp and swing the levers 15 into release position, one after another. Whenever any one lever is swung to release the associated prong or arm member,-a section of the load will fall out as shown in Figure 9. This is of great advantage as it decreases the shock upon the truck and upon the. bricks themselves. If the whole stack were to be dumped at once it is readily conceivablethat serious damage to the truck might result. By providing the means permitting dumping ofthe load-insections the usual objec-- tions above mentioned are entirely avoided. From the foregoing description and a study constructed device for thepurpose specified and one which willefficiently perform all the functions for which it is intended. It is believed that the construction, operation and advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art without further explanation. i While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it

should be understood that the; disclosure is Y rality of arm member-s carried by the back member and adapted to engagebeneath a stack of bricks, and link and lever means coof the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a very; simply.

operating with the back member for normally maintaining said arm members rigid with respect to the back member, said means being releasable.

2. A brick carrier comprising a back member equipped with suspension means, a plurality of arm members carried by the back member and adapted to engage beneath a stack of bricks, link means for normally maintaining said arm members rigid with respect to the back member, and lever means for releasing said link means, said link means and lever means normally engaging against the back member.

3. A brick stack carrier comprising a back member equipped with suspension means, a plurality of arm members pivotally carried by said back member and adapted to extend beneath a stack of bricks for supporting the same, means for maintaining said arm members normally rigid with respect to the back member, and means for releasing said arm members individually whereby a portion of the stack may be dumped at a time.

4. A brick stack carrier comprising a back member equipped with suspension means, a plurality of arm members pivotally carried by said back member and adapted to extend beneath a stack of bricks for supporting the same, means for maintaining said arm members normally rigid with respect to the back member, and lever operated means for releasing said arm members individually whereby a portion of the stack may be dumped at a time.

5. A carrier of the character described comprising a relatively stationary portion equipped with suspension means, and a plurality of normally rigid individually releasable arm members carried by said stationary portion and adapted for insert-ion beneath a stack of bricks.

6. A brick stack carrier comprising a relatively. stationary portion, a plurality of movable elements carried by said stationary portion and adapted for insertion beneath a stack of bricks, means for normally maintaining said movable members in rigid position, and means for releasing said means individually.

7. A brick stack carrier comprising a relatively stationary portion, a plurality of movable elements carried by said stationary portion and adapted for insertion beneath a stack of bricks, means for normally maintaining said movable members in rigid positlon, and means for releasing said means individually, said last named means being lever operated.

8. In a carrier of the character described, a relatively stationary supporting portion, arm members pivoted thereto at their rear ends, levers pivoted upon said stationary portion, and links pivotally connected with said levers and with said arm members, said levers being movable tomaintain said arm members in rigid position'or to release them individually and permit swinging thereof.

9. In a device of the character described, a back member equipped with suspension meansand provided with vertically extendin bars,'plates secured upon opposite sides or each bar, an arm member pivotally mounted between each pair of plates, a lever of angular form pivoted between each pair of plates, and links pivotally connected with the lever and with said arm member forwardly of the pivotal mounting thereof.

10. In a device of the character described, a back member equipped with suspension means and provided with vertically extending bars, plates secured upon opposite sides of each bar, an arm member pivotally mounted between each pair of plates, a lever of angular :t'orm pivoted between each pair of plates, and links pivotally connected with the lever and with said arm member forwardly of the pivotal mounting thereof, said lever having its angular portion engageable with the back member to maintain said links and arm members rigid.

11. In a brick carrier, a back member equipped with suspension means and provided with vertically extending bars, plates secured upon opposite sides of each bar, an arm member pivotally mounted between each pair of plates, a lever of angular form pivoted between each pair of plates, and links pivotally connected with the lever and with said arm member and straddling said plates, said lever cooperating with the back member to maintain said links and arm members rigid.

12. In a brick carrier, a back member, pairs of spaced plates on said back member, an arm member pivotally mounted between each pair of plates, a lever pivotally connected with each pair of plates, and links pivotally connected with the lever and with the arm member forwardly of the pivotal mounting of the latter, said lever having a portion cooperating with the back member to maintain said links and arm members rigid.

13. In a brick carrier, a back member, arm members pivotally mounted at the rear oi said back member, a lever for each arm member pivotally mounted at the rear of said back member, and link connections between the levers and the respective arm members, portions of said levers engaging against and cooperating with the rear of said back member for normally maintaining said arms rigid.

14. In a brick carrier, a back member, a plurality of arm members pivoted at their rear ends at the rear of said back member, angular levers pivoted at their lower ends at the rear of said back members, and links pivotally connected with the arm members and with the intermediate portions .of the respective levers forwardly of the pivotal mounting of the arm members, said intermediate portions of the levers engaging against the rear of the back member for nbrmally holding the arm members rigid.

' In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature. I ROBERT A. FONTAINE. 

